Carol

Brian

Claire

Gayle

Kate

Lilian

Sue

Vinny

Kellie

The telephone support from Sarah at SmokeFree Liverpool has worked well with the nicotine replacement products I used. In 1 month and 6 days I have saved £251.53 which I have physically taken out of my bank account and put into my savings account. In doing this I have something to show for my efforts of not smoking.

The COVID-19 lockdown was a good time to quit smoking because of the social isolation measures. I would stress about how long I would have to wait to get cigarettes and whether I could afford to buy them. This must be especially worrying if you are in the unfortunate position of losing your job.

Thinking about stopping smoking was actually the hardest part for me but it does become easier though once you get started. Having loved ones encouraging me to give up was a big motivation and the thought of going to India once I have saved enough money is also a big part of it too!

Well done Kellie! If you would like FREE stop smoking support today, call us free on 0800 061 4212.

David

“I was smoking 20-30 a day for 40 years. I decided to quit for several reasons, the cost, my health and one being a smoking related death of a close friend. I also had the niggling desire to stop smoking for some time.

Quitting was actually not as hard as I thought or was led to believe that it would be. I really made up my mind that I wanted to stop and after some initial discomfort I soon felt better for stopping. This helped as did the extra money I now had which I spent on things that I wanted but had not been able to afford whilst smoking.

I attend Smokefree Liverpool at Garston library where I find chatting to other people and the advisor Sarah helps. I haven’t used any aids such as patches, chewing gum etc as wanting to stop was the most important motivation for me.

My Main Benefits from stopping smoking are;

• Extra money, smoking is now very expensive
• If going out I do not have to worry about where and how I can have a smoke.
• My general overall health has improved; my chest feels clear and my breathing is improving.
• A feeling of satisfaction in knowing that I could overcome my addiction.

If you want to stop smoking, decide when you want to stop and then prepare yourself mentally. Tell yourself you can overcome your habit and then do as I did, just stop! At first you may not succeed but stopping for any length of time will do you no harm and you may find that you have more willpower than you think and like me, one day of stopping leads to a year of stopping! ????”

Saima & Ahmed

“Ahmed – I was smoking up to 15 a day for 40 years and Saima up to 10 a day for 30 years and now we are 8 weeks smoke free! ????

Saima – We decided to quit for health reasons. We knew the issues that arise due to smoking but never had the willpower to quit until recently. I also had problems with my breathing and found it hard to exercise so quitting was the best thing for my health.

Ahmed – Quitting was not to difficult With the medication (Champix). The support and encouragement provided by Smokefree Liverpool Belle Vale Team is excellent.
Saima – Champix made my quit attempt a lot easier although I had to make some adjustments too. Overall it was well worth the effort!

The main benefits we have found since quitting are;

• We can smell
• We feel great
• We are more active in gym
• The feel-good factor
• I can breathe a lot better (Saima)

If you want to quit smoking, just do it, it will change your life! If we can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 for FREE help and support today.”

Kathryn

I was smoking about 10 cigarettes a day for the past 8 years and now I am nearly 4 months Smokefree! I decided to quit mainly for financial reasons. The price of cigarettes was going up and I was constantly looking for money.

Quitting was not easy at first, in fact it was very difficult, but once I got out of the habit the rest became easier. I also decided to be kinder to myself.

Regarding the COVID-19, I have had increased anxiety as I think most people have. I suppose I have had a few more cravings with the stress and boredom, but lockdown has made it more difficult to purchase tobacco which means that I have not given in to cravings 😊. My quit is going good, in a way lockdown might have helped because I live in a non-smoking house where there is less temptation around (no tobacco around whereas there would have been copious amounts in a beer garden etc).

I used the patches to help me quit. I also used an inhalator when I went on a night out. I also attended Allerton Library Smokefree Liverpool drop in before the lockdown regularly and seeing the specialist advisors really helped.

The benefits I have you found since quitting smoking are:

I have more money.

I do not cough up mucus of a morning.

My hair stays in place and I am not getting caught in the rain from smoking.

I do not smell like an ashtray.

If you want to quit, give it a go. Advice for quitting during lockdown? Find things to do as an alternative such as going for a walk, jigsaw puzzles – anything that helps combat boredom! Good luck.

If you would like FREE stop smoking support, just like Kathryn, call us on 0800 061 4212 or visit www.smokefreeliverpool.co.uk

Li-Anne

Li-Anne interacted with Smokefree Liverpool through Facebook.

I had a phone call this morning, from the girl who ran the group in the Mac Centre in Dovecote, who was checking on my progress with not smoking. Well with all that is going on with COVID-19 and with not attending the Mac Ive lapsed back in to old habits. After a good chat about it, Amy has told me that I can get back on track if I want to (I DEFINITELY DO!) and has arranged for me to get my e-voucher sent directly to my pharmacy. How brilliant is that! Im made up and so thankful for the call. I can now get back on track with the support I need from Amy. I can call her and talk through my problems if I need to. Thank you so much Amy, I recommend anyone wanting to quit to get in touch with this girl!

If you have relapsed like Li-Anne and want to quit again call us on 0800 061 4212 or visit www.smokefreeliverpool.co.uk.

Audrey

“I was smoking 20 a day for 25 years and I am now 16 months Smokefree!
I decided to quit as I was always sick, so it was the only option. I found quitting surprisingly easy, I used Patches and they were a great help! I also attended the Netherley drop in group every week and saw Sarah who helped me a lot.
The benefits I have found since quitting smoking are;
• My Health has really improved
• Find it easier to breathe
• Saved a lot of money
My advice for anyone wanting to quit smoking is to stick at it, don’t give up because it can be done. If Audrey can do it, then so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 or visit www.smokefreeliverpool.co.uk for FREE help and support to quit smoking.”

Gail & Dolli the Dog

“Gail has been quit for 3 weeks, Dolli is delighted ‘No ciggies more walkies! ????’

I was smoking 10 a day for over 50 years and now I’ve been smokefree for 3 weeks!
My reason for stopping smoking was for my health. I was having really bad pains in my right leg, I thought it was connected to the arthritis in my hips but was told by the hospital it was bad circulation in the right leg. The pulse was very shallow compared to the left side, I was advised there and then that stopping smoking would improve this. I walk my dog ‘Dolli’ twice a day and they were getting shorter every day. I want my health to take Dolli on quality walks again.

At first, I was very dubious about quitting because I had tried various things in the past. The first few days I found easy but after that I bought assorted sweets to occupy my mind. I have had lots of temptation but worked through them.

I am receiving support from Sarah at Margaret Thompson which is a massive help, I could not have done this alone. Like I said I have tried various thins in the past but Champix did it for me.

The Benefits I have found since quitting smoking are;

• I am not coughing as much
• I am sure the circulation must have improved in my leg
• Better off financially.
• I don’t smell of smoke.

If you want to quit, go for it! It’s easy to say just do it but I think you must be positive, I just wish that I had the sense to do it years ago.

For FREE help and support to quit smoking, call 0800 061 4212 today!”

Stevie and Ronnie

“I’d been a heavy smoker for 30 years smoking 20 a day and was now pushing my luck health wise so it was time to stop. Another reason is that I had taken on a new occupation working closely with people so I was conscious of offending people with the smell of smoke. Lastly the cost of my cigarette habit was getting out of hand costing around £10 a day, that’s £3650 per year I could’ve been spending on several city breaks a year which I could never afford – I can now!

I had tried many times to quit over the years, and had even stopped for long periods but always succumbed to a cigarette sooner or later. This time was different as I had met people who had successfully quit with the help of Smokefree Liverpool, and I thought, ‘if THEY can do it, so can I!’ So I decided to give it a go myself, and went along to the Belle Vale group with my brother in law Ronnie. The friendly team there gave all their support and encouragement in our decision to quit for good Following our initial consultations, and Smokefree’s advice about the various quit smoking aids available, I opted for a product called ‘Champix’, I set a quit date, and started the course of tablets as instructed. I found myself naturally cutting down on the daily usage of cigarettes, without even really trying! There’s still a certain amount of will power so you really need to be focused on giving up. I followed Smokefree’s advice of ‘Not ONE PUFF!’, as that is all it takes to put you straight back to square one! After a few weeks, the desire to smoke I found had waned, and after a couple of months the thought of having a cigarette never even entered my head!
The main benefits I have found since quitting are;
1) Instantly having the weight lifted off my shoulders of being a smoker, having this ‘death sentence’ hanging over me every time I reached for a cigarette was now gone, and I felt a lot happier with myself
2) I feel a lot happier socially as I no longer have to worry about the effects of my smoking on others.

3) Although I didn’t really feel unhealthy as such as a smoker, I really feel much healthier NOT being a smoker!

4) The money I’ve saved has enabled me to cut down the hours I had to work, which has allowed me much more free time to follow my leisure pursuits, and the extra cash in my pocket has paid towards lots of these pursuits including lots of short breaks away with family and friends

Giving up smoking may seem like an unachievable mission to you, It did for me too, but the very fact you are reading this tells you have made the first step to quitting those cigarettes for good. You don’t have to be on your own on this journey, so the next step is to go and visit Smokefree Liverpool and they’ll help you along. It’s not easy to give up smoking, but just remember how good you’ll feel about yourself when you can say ‘I don’t smoke’. Finally, when you ARE an EX – SMOKER, always remember those words ‘NOT ONE PUFF’! Good luck!

???? If Stevie and Ronnie can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 to see where you can access FREE support to quit smoking. ????”

Natalie

“I was smoking 10-15 cigarettes a day for 22 years and now I have been smokefree for 7 weeks! I decided to quit because of my children. I want to have the best health for them, so I can see them grow up and have their own children.

I have found quitting easier this time around. I have the determination to stop and the fact I am saving a lot of money has helped. The stress of needing to go for a cigarette is not there anymore either. I attend Belle Vale drop in every week and receive great support from Sarah. I decided to use Champix this time and I would recommend these to anybody.

The benefits I have found since quitting smoking are;

• Less stress
• Better Health
• Saving so much money

If you are serious about quitting smoking, do it! Its hard at first but the benefits are so much better!
If Natalie can so it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 for FREE help and support.”

Carol

“I was smoking about 7 cigarettes a day for over 50 years and have managed to quit for 12 weeks! My main reason for quitting was due to my ill health, I have COPD and breathing difficulties.
Quitting is far from easy. Some days are harder than others, but the craving soon wears off if you stick at it. I am proud of myself for coming this far! I attend the group in Allerton Library where I see the lovely advisor Sarah, she has been great support. I also use the Nicotine Lozenges which work well for me.The benefits I have found since quitting smoking are;
• My breathing is much better
• Not using my inhaler
• Saving lots of money
• Feeling very proud
My advice for people wanting to quit smoking is to contact Smokefree Liverpool and get some support. Get family and friends to text you, the encouragement really helps! If I can do it, anyone can! Call 0800 061 4212 or visit www.smokefreeliverpool.co.uk for FREE help and support to quit.”

Brian

“Brian quit on National No Smoking Day 2014. He drops in once a year for his co reading and offers support to our clients attending Belle Vale Health Centre. Sarah has supported Brian throughout his Stop Smoking Journey.

Brian recommends anyone thinking about quitting smoking to come along to Smoke free Liverpool for free help and support. Call 0800 061 4212 or visit www.smokefreeliverpool.co.uk for more !”

Claire

“I was smoking 10-20 cigarettes a day for 26 years until I quit 2 months ago!

I decided to quit as I want to be around to see my grandchildren grow up and smoking was affecting my health. Also, the amount of money I was spending on cigarettes, I have been enjoying spending that money on clothes and nights out.

Quitting wasn’t easy, but this time I was doing it because I felt the time was right for me. Before I had felt pressured into stopping by others because they had stopped.

I attended Smokefree Liverpool in Speke Health Centre where I received support from Sarah. I used Champix which has been a great help too!

The benefits I have found since quitting are;

• I have more money and I am enjoying spending it.
• My sense of smell and taste buds have improved
• I feel healthier
My advice is do it for yourself and not others and when the time is right for you ……GO FOR IT, YOU WON’T REGRET IT!!! ”

Gayle

“I was smoking 20-40 cigarettes a day for 30 years, now I’ve been smokefree for 5 months. I decided to quit smoking for health reasons. My surgeon had told me to stop and that the medication would work better. I also have asthma and I am aware of the effects of smoking on the body.

Quitting wasn’t easy at all but the fact that I wanted to do it made it that little more doable. I used a Patch and inhalator to help me quit. Sarah from Smokefree Liverpool has been the best support I could have asked for!

The benefits I have found since quitting are;
• I can walk without wheezing and needing an inhaler
• I can smell things a lot better
• I can taste everything
• I don’t cough anymore

If you want to quit smoking, get advice and support from Smoke free Liverpool and make use of the products available. If I can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 for FREE advice today!”

Kate

“After smoking around 20 a day for 20 years I met Amy and Ginny outside the Women’s hospital and had no intention of quitting, I only wanted information. Three months and zero fags later I am now also patch free!

I Can’t thank Smokefree Liverpool enough for their continued support and encouragement throughout my journey. It really is a lot easier than you think it’s going to be! ????

If Kate can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 to see where you can access FREE support to quit smoking ????”

Lilian

“I was smoking around 20 cigarettes a day for 40 years before quitting. I have now been smokefree for 4 months! There are many reasons why I decided to quit, mainly as it was too expensive.
I have tried several times to quit smoking but this time I am a lot more focused. I have found it very hard but the fact that I am determined to keep going is helping a lot. I attend a Smokefree session in Speke Health Centre with Hilary and Sarah who are a great help. I am also using patches.
The main benefit I have noticed up to now is that I have saved lot money, If I keep going, I can save a lot more. ????
If you want to quit smoking, pop along to a Smokefree session as they advisors are really helpful and understanding. Keep going as you will get there in the end.”If Lilian can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 for FREE help and support to quit smoking. Alternatively visit www.smokefreeliverpool.co.uk for more information.

Sue

“After years of smoking and trying to quit, I eventually turned to my local stop smoking service for help. Although I had tried to quit many times before, I always ended up back on the cigarettes. I was prescribed nicotine patches for the first week by my GP, but he suggested that maybe I should seek professional help to overcome my addiction. Although feeling apprehensive about attending a group, it was the best thing I’ve ever done!
I attended Everton health centre on a weekly basis. The support and help I received from the advisors helped me stay motivated and focused even when I was struggling to cope. Not only did I overcome my physical addiction, I also addressed my psychological dependence, the strong positive beliefs that kept me hooked for all those years. As the weeks went on, my confidence grew stronger and I was able to cope without the dreaded cigarettes!
I have now been quit for five years and my health and wealth have both improved dramatically since quitting. Above all, with all the extra money I have managed to travel to all the places I have always dreamed of including Australia, Singapore and numerous European destinations.
My Advice if you want to quit is seek professional help and advice. Always remember you don’t have to do it alone there is fantastic support out there. If Sue can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 for FREE help and support to quit smoking.
“

Vinny

“I was smoking 30 cigarettes a day for 35 years and now I’m nearly 9 months Smokefree! I had been thinking about quitting for a few years as its well know that smoking is very bad for you and is now seen as an anti-sociable past time, not to mention the cost of cigarettes.
Quitting was a struggle at first, especially dealing with the craving for a cigarette, but with the help and support from Keith and Smokefree Liverpool, it was made a lot easier. I used Patches and an inhalator to help me quit and these helped a lot!
The main benefits I have noticed since quitting are;
• I feel a lot fitter and have a lot more energy during my working day.
• I am saving a lot of money, on average £12 a day which is £4380 a year!
• My granddaughter keep’s telling me that I smell nice, that never happened when I was a smoker.
If you are going to try and quit smoking, then I’d recommend using Smokefree Liverpool. I think there help and support will increase your chances of being successful in reaching your goal!
If Vincent can do it, so can you! Call 0800 061 4212 to see where you can access FREE support to quit smoking.”